DCEU fans wonder how on earth ‘The Flash’ is going to be promoted

Ezra Miller’s career is probably toast. After terrorizing the population of Hawaii in a series of bizarre incidents earlier this year, they were arrested and bailed for second-degree assault. But that pales in comparison to Miller’s legal troubles related to their alleged ‘grooming’ of children, which has resulted in restraining and harassment protective orders granted to their parents. After deleting their Instagram, Miller disappeared and their whereabouts are currently unknown.

Aside from everything else, this leaves Warner Bros. in a sticky situation. Filming has completed on their $200 million superhero extravaganza The Flash, which stars Miller in multiple roles. With their lead doing everything they possibly can to trash their reputation, how can you possibly promote this movie?

Fans on r/DC_Cinematic are pondering this question, though there are no easy or obvious answers. The original poster compares the problem to opening a new film starring Kevin Spacey, saying (in something of an understatement) that Warner Bros will find it “hard to maneuver”.

Replies say the focus of the marketing and press campaign may have to shift to Michael Keaton. He’s reprising his role as Bruce Wayne/Batman, is a charismatic interviewee, and in any event, much of the hype is about his return rather than the lead character. Others say they hold out hope that Warner Bros can convince Miller to make a public apology, confirm they’re seeking mental health treatment, and donate some of the film’s box office to charity.

But there’s also the prediction that, as bad as things are now, there’s the potential for it to get a lot worse. A poster points to Miller’s pattern of escalation, saying:

Fans are already pushing for the CW The Flash Grant Gustin to take over from Miller, though any actor considering the role will be aware they’re stepping into a publicity nightmare. On top of that, there may be an impending legal battle for Warner Bros. if it ditches Miller, depending on their contract.

Whether there’s any coming back for Miller from this remains to be seen, though we hope that they get the help they so obviously need.

The Flash is scheduled for release on June 23, 2023, though whether this actually happens is anyone’s guess.